Kafka

As everyone looked at Bai Luoming and March 7th sitting together, their expressions gradually became subtle. Just as this subtle atmosphere was about to escalate, Pom-Pom's voice came from afar.

"Passengers, please be aware!"

Pom-Pom ran to the coffee table in the center of the carriage, cleared his throat, and announced in an unusually solemn tone.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, passengers! Thanks to the great assistance of all the Trailblazer, the Fragmentum activity of Jarilo-VI has been reduced to a minimum, and all orbital readings have returned to the normal range!"

It straightened its chest and adjusted its hat.

"The train is about to depart again, leaving Jarilo-VI. Please hold on tight, and say goodbye to this planet one last time!"

Pom-Pom spoke earnestly, and the tension in the carriage eased somewhat.

March 7th looked around and seemed to realize someone was missing. He asked in confusion, "Huh? Where's Xing? Did he oversleep again?"

"She was up all night," Bai Luoming said, leaning back on the sofa and shrugging helplessly. "She's probably still in bed sleeping right now."

"Honestly, I knew she was unreliable!" March 7th immediately stood up from the sofa and volunteered, "I'll go drag her out of bed! How can we waste such precious time sleeping!"

As she spoke, she ran out of the Parlor Car, and soon her voice, "Xing! Wake up!" echoed down the corridor.

When they left on March 7th, the atmosphere in the train carriage became subtle again.

Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng, who had been quietly reviewing the data, all turned their gazes to Bai Luoming once again.

The gazes of the three men made Bai Luoming uneasy.

"So," Welt broke the silence first, folding his hands and asking curiously, "How did you manage to appease Little March? I thought she'd give you the silent treatment for at least three days."

"Just... do it like that first, then like this, and then it'll be fine." Bai Luoming stammered, his eyes somewhat unfocused.

He can't exactly say that he spent the night with her and then they made up, can he?

Bai Luoming's ambiguous response clearly failed to satisfy the two patriarchs.

Himeko put down her coffee cup, the bottom of which made a soft sound as it hit the table.

"Luo Ming, I shouldn't interfere in your private affairs," she said, looking at him with a warning in her eyes, "But some things are better left unsaid."

Bai Luoming naturally understood Himeko's unspoken meaning: she was openly and subtly expressing her dissatisfaction with his scumbag behavior.

"I..." He opened his mouth, but found his throat dry, a sense of helplessness welling up inside him. "I didn't want it to be like this, but many things just happen so inexplicably..."

Although he was mostly passive, one could even say he was the victim.

Even if that's the truth, Bai Luoming didn't know how to defend himself, because no matter what, it seemed like he was the one who profited in the end.

Welt adjusted his glasses, the lenses flashing. Unusually, he didn't continue lecturing, but instead sighed with a hint of mockery, "Young people, having too many admirers can be a problem."

Dan Heng, who had been silent all along, also chimed in at the opportune moment.

"I suggest making a choice as soon as possible; the longer you delay, the more trouble you'll encounter."

Just as Bai Luoming was about to say something to defend himself, the voices of March 7th and Xing came from the end of the corridor.

"Get up, Xing! The sun's already high in the sky!"

"Um... let me sleep for five more minutes... just five minutes..."

"No! The flight schedule meeting is about to begin!"

A short while later, March 7th dragged the sleepy-eyed star into the carriage.

Xing was yawning, still in a half-asleep state, her eyes not fully open, when March 7th pressed her down onto the sofa.

"So," March 7th sat down next to her, looking at Himeko curiously, "Where are we going next?"

The appearance of March 7th was like a ray of light, breaking the previous awkward atmosphere.

When Himeko saw that the two had arrived, she said nothing more, but stood in front of the projection again, her fingertips tracing through the air, and the images of the three alternative locations became clear again.

"We now have these options: the Melustanin Agate World, the place of ascension for the Beauty Idrila; the ocean planet Lushaka, the home of the old Nameless; and... the Festivity Planet, Penacony."

She explained in detail the characteristics and Trailblaze potential of each location, ultimately focusing on Penacony.

"If there's going to be a vote, I personally lean towards Penacony. Their Charmony Festival will be held soon, and the Family has extended a formal invitation to our Astral Express." She paused, then added, "Of course, this is just my personal opinion; ultimately, everyone will have to vote to decide."

Welt in agreement. "Penacony is indeed a good choice; Order and relatively safe, making it a suitable next stop after Jarilo-VI."

"Grand event... grand ceremony..." Xing, half asleep and half awake, seemed to be drawn to these two lively words, and opened her eyes slightly.

Pom-Pom jumped onto the center of the coffee table again, ready to fulfill her duties as the Conductor.

"Alright, passengers, let's begin the voting now."

Before it could finish speaking, the lights in the Parlor Car suddenly flickered.

Immediately afterwards, streams of blue-purple data appeared out of thin air, rapidly converging and intertwining in the center of the carriage, ultimately forming a slender female figure.

The newcomer, dressed in an elegant yet dangerous trench coat with a gentle smile on her lips, was none other than the Stellaron Hunters — Kafka.

"Who are you, Pam! How dare you hijack the train's communication system!" Pom-Pom instantly bristled, his two long ears standing straight up.

March 7th reacted even faster; almost instinctively, she drew her bow, the arrow coalescing on the string and warily blocking Bai Luoming's path.

Welt stood up with a stern face, his hand already on the tip of his cane.

Kafka's gaze slowly swept across the carriage, passing over the wary crowd, and finally landed on Hoshi. The smile on her lips deepened, carrying a meaningful undertone.

"Long time no see, darling. Looks like you're doing well on the train."

These words instantly extinguished the tension in the train carriage.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" March 7th tightened his grip on the bow, questioning in a cold voice.

Kafka ignored her, as if she were an insignificant nobody. Her gaze shifted to Himeko, and she nodded slightly.

"No need to be so tense, Nameless of the Astral Express. I'm just here to offer you another option."

She spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice clear and distinct in everyone's ears.

"Not far from you, on Luofu, one of the six giant ships of the Xianzhou Alliance, a Stellaron disaster is about to erupt."

Her tone was casual, as if she were talking about a trivial matter.

Himeko frowned slightly. "Stellaron Hunters, would they be so kind as to tell us this kind of information? What are you up to?"

"You Stellaron Hunters had better not interfere in the affairs of the Xianzhou Alliance." Welt's expression also turned serious. "Once you're targeted by the 'The Hunt' Aeon Lan, running to the ends of the universe won't help."

Kafka shrugged, her demeanor composed. "This Stellaron has nothing to do with us, but the Xianzhou has already pinned the blame on the Stellaron Hunters. One of my companions, Blade, was taken away by the Cloud Knights. I need to bring him back, and incidentally, resolve this crisis and clear our names."

"You think we'd believe that?" March 7th sneered. "What a coincidence! You showed up right after the Stellaron erupted."

Now fully awake, Hoshiya stood up, gripping his baseball bat tightly. "Besides, you have no connection with us, why should we help you?"

"Because if you don't go, at least half the inhabitants of Luofu will perish."

She paused for a moment, her voice carrying a hint of seduction.

"I believe that in the face of such a crisis, the brave and fearless Trailblazer, the kind-hearted Nameless... surely they wouldn't stand idly by?"

"Where are the coordinates?" Himeko calmly interrupted the psychological battle. "We need to verify the authenticity of the information."

Kafka snapped her fingers, and a complex stream of star map coordinate data appeared out of thin air in the projection.

"The decision is yours. But I suggest you hurry; time is running out for Luofu."

Her figure began to blur, the projection flickering on and off.

Before disappearing completely, she took one last look at Bai Luoming, her eyes filled with a strange light, and whispered:

"Unexpected twists of fate—I wonder how many surprises you'll bring this time."

As those words fell, Kafka's projection vanished completely.

The Parlor Car fell into a deathly silence.

"We don't believe her! This is definitely a trap!" March 7th was the first to break the silence, her tone resolute.

Xing countered, "Not necessarily. She seems reliable to me; I trust she wouldn't lie to me."

"Huh?" March 7th turned to look at Star, his face full of disbelief. "Whose side are you on? Why are you taking the Stellaron Hunters's side?!"

"Himeko, what do you think?" Welt looked at Himeko.

Himeko pondered for a moment, then made a decision. "First, verify the accuracy of the coordinates. If Luofu is indeed at that location, and Stellaron reaction has occurred..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was already clear.

Bai Luoming's attention shifted from the coordinates to Dan Heng. He was curious about Dan Heng's opinion of his hometown.

"Dan Heng, why aren't you saying anything? Do you have some different opinions about Luofu?"

Upon hearing Bai Luoming's words, everyone's attention instantly focused on Dan Heng.

Dan Heng raised his head, his eyes flickering, as if he was trying his best to avoid something.

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he slowly began to speak.

"I... do know something about the Xianzhou Luofu."

He hesitated for a moment, but finally made the decision that stunned everyone.

"However, if you decide to go to Luofu, please forgive me for not being able to accompany you."

"Why?" Himeko frowned. "Dan Heng, did something happen in Luofu?"

Dan Heng remained silent for an even longer time, until the air itself began to grow heavy.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all that remained in them was darkness.

I cannot set foot on Luofu.

"They declared, 'No one may tread upon any part of the territory they govern.'"